Concomitant Overactive Bladder Treatment and Adherence to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Physical Therapy
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) is a key treatment for overactive bladder (OAB), but adherence is often low.
• Limited research exists on the impact of initiating PFPT concurrently with OAB medications on patient adherence.
• This study investigates the relationship between combined PFPT and medication initiation and PFPT adherence in OAB patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess PFPT adherence in female OAB patients when PFPT is initiated concurrently with medication versus PFPT alone.
• To determine if concomitant medication prescription at the time of PFPT referral impacts adherence rates.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study compared PFPT adherence (≥50% session attendance) between two groups of female OAB patients.
• Group 1 (PT group) received PFPT referral without concurrent medication.
• Group 2 (PT + Med group) received PFPT referral with concomitant medication prescription.

Main Results:

• The study included 346 female OAB patients (196 in PT group, 150 in PT + Med group).
• The PT group demonstrated significantly higher PFPT adherence (30.6% vs 15.3%, p < 0.001) and completed more sessions.
• Despite higher baseline comorbidities in the PT + Med group, multivariable analysis confirmed lower adherence with concomitant medication (aOR 0.38, p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Concomitant initiation of OAB medication with PFPT referral is associated with significantly decreased PFPT adherence.
• This finding highlights a potential barrier to effective OAB management when combining these treatment modalities.
• Further research may explore strategies to improve adherence when both PFPT and medication are prescribed simultaneously.